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England wins toss and opts to bowl against South Africa at Cricket World Cup

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:30:36 GMT

Temba Bavuma was ruled out because of illness as England won the toss and opted to bowl against South Africa at the Cricket World Cup in Mumbai on Saturday.Aiden Markram leads South Africa in Bavuma’s absence. Both teams are looking to rebound after shocking upsets in their last games.England lost to Afghanistan in Delhi by 69 runs. It was the second loss in three games for the defending champions. It had previously lost to New Zealand by nine wickets but beat Bangladesh by 137 runs.South Africa went down to the Netherlands in Dharamsala by 38 runs. It had previously scored massive wins over Sri Lanka (by 102 runs) and Australia (by 134 runs).It is in a better position, placed third in the points table with four points from three games. England is sixth with two points from three games as the World Cup arrives in Mumbai for its first game.Ben Stokes, who is featuring in this tournament only as a batsman, returns after recovering from a hip problem. England has made two other changes...

Egipto abre el paso fronterizo con Gaza para la entrada de ayuda humanitaria para palestinos

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:30:36 GMT

El paso fronterizo entre Egipto y la Franja de Gaza se abrió el sábado para permitir la entrada de la ayuda humanitaria que necesitan urgentemente los palestinos, que no tienen comida, medicamentos ni agua en el territorio asediado por Israel.Más de 200 camiones cargados con unas 3,000 toneladas de ayuda pasaron días estacionados junto al puesto fronterizo a la espera de poder pasar a Gaza. Un reportero de The Associated Press vio como los vehículos entraban al enclave.Israel bloqueó el territorio y lanzó oleadas de ataques aéreos tras la incursión de insurgentes de Hamas en el sur del país el 7 de octubre.Muchos residentes en Gaza, que toman apenas una comida al día y no tienen suficiente agua potable, esperan desesperadamente la ayuda. Los hospitales necesitan de forma urgente suministros sanitarios y combustible para sus generadores ante la elevada cifra de heridos que dejan los bombardeos. Cientos de personas con pasaporte extranjero aguardaban también para cruzar desde Gaza a E...

Diamondbacks host the Phillies in NLCS Game 5 with series tied

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:30:36 GMT

Philadelphia Phillies (90-72, second in the NL East during the regular season) vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (84-78, second in the NL West during the regular season)Phoenix; Saturday, 8:07 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Phillies: Zack Wheeler (13-6, 3.61 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 212 strikeouts); Diamondbacks: Zac Gallen (17-9, 3.47 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 220 strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Phillies -134, Diamondbacks +113; over/under is 8 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Arizona Diamondbacks take on the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday in Game 5 of the NLCS. The series is tied 2-2.Arizona has gone 43-38 in home games and 84-78 overall. The Diamondbacks are 67-15 in games when they out-hit their opponents.Philadelphia has a 90-72 record overall and a 41-40 record on the road. The Phillies have a 70-18 record in games when they have more hits than their opponents.Saturday’s game is the 12th time these teams square off this season. The Phillies are ahead 6-5 in the season series.TOP PERFORMERS: Corbin Carr...

Sunshine and Warmth Ahead this Weekend

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:30:36 GMT

Following more clouds than sunshine from a developing storm system on Friday, better weather is ahead this weekend as yet another reinforcing shot of drier air behind a weak front arrives this Saturday.This will allow for lots of sunshine along with comfortable humidity levels, although temperatures will be somewhat hot for this time of the year, topping off into the mid to upper 80s both afternoons.Low temperatures will be cool-ish both mornings, ranging from the upper 60s to mid 70s at most locations, which actually is below average.Expect plenty of sunshine this Saturday with a light northwesterly breeze.Then some higher level clouds will fiter in during the day Sunday, but bright skies and nice weather conditions are stilll expected.That will remain the story on Monday as high pressure remains in control, with highs still warmer than normal in the mid to upper 80s.Then starting Tuesday and continuing into the rest of next week, our winds will veer more out of the northeast oppos...

S&P raises Greece to investment grade for first time in more than a decade

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:30:36 GMT

ATHENS — Greece’s credit rating was raised to investment grade by Standard & Poor’s in the first such move by one of the three major rating agencies since the country was shaken by the debt crisis more than a decade ago.S&P Global upgraded Greece late Friday to BBB- from BB+, citing the country’s improved budgetary position, in a move that the government hopes will boost market confidence, attract foreign investments and lower borrowing costs. S&P said the ratings outlook is stable.“Proud of the recognition of what our country has achieved,” Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis posted on social media. “We are determined to continue our reform agenda, a path that is attracting investment, creating jobs and achieving inclusive growth.”Securing investment grade was a key target for the conservative leader, who secured a second term with a landslide victory in June.The move back into investment grade at S&P comes more than a decade after Greece was brough...

Friday’s high school roundup/scores: Sweet 16: Archbishop Williams qualifies for state tournament again

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:30:36 GMT

Michael Folan, Antonio Guarino and DJ Tandy scored while Robbie Cibotti earned his 10th shutout as Archbishop Williams (8-3-4) qualified for the tournament for the 16th straight year with a 3-0 boys soccer win over Cardinal Spellman in the Catholic Central League.Francis Amani and Pat Moore scored for Plymouth North (10-2-3) in a 2-1 Patriot League win over crosstown rival Plymouth South.Ryan Gasparro and Finn Ingalls found the net for Newburyport (11-3-2) in a 2-1 Cape Ann League win over Georgetown. … Kaiky Araujo struck for two goals, and Simon Ghebremariam netted his first goal as Rockland (10-5) rolled to a 4-0 South Shore League win over Randolph.A pair of goals from Lucas Bereaud and two points from Jack Fredrickson (goal, assist) paced Swampscott (11-2-1) in a 3-1 Northeastern Conference win over Salem. … Marcus Dutra Africano (two goals), Nyzaiah Pacheco (goal, two assists) and Will Quinlan (goal) got the job done offensively for Westport (14-0) in a 4-0 Mayflow...

Ukrainian officials say civilians were killed and wounded in Russian overnight attacks

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:30:36 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — At least two civilians were killed and others wounded across Ukraine as Russian forces continued to shell frontline areas and other parts of the country, local Ukrainian officials reported Saturday. In Kryvyi Rih, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s hometown in central Ukraine, a 60-year-old man died on Friday evening when a Russian missile slammed into an industrial facility, according to Telegram posts by Mayor Oleksandr Vilkul. Vilkul added that the man’s wife was hospitalized with serious shrapnel wounds. Early on Saturday, Vilkul reported that Russian missiles and drones overnight hit the same site again, causing unspecified damage and sparking a fire that was put out by morning. Vilkul did not elaborate on the site’s nature or whether it was linked to Ukraine’s war effort. He said nobody was hurt in the second strike. In Ukraine’s front-line Kherson region in the south, one civilian was killed and another suffered wounds as Russia...

Storm hits northern Europe, killing at least 4 people

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:30:36 GMT

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — A storm battered Britain, northern Germany and southern Scandinavia early Saturday, for a third day, with powerful winds, heavy rain and storm surges that caused floods, power outages, evacuations and disrupted flights, railway service and ferry lines.Since Thursday, at least four people have died in the storm, named Babet by the UK Meteorological Office. The latest victim was a 33-year-old woman who was killed when a tree fell on her car on the Baltic Sea island of Fehmarn on Friday afternoon, German news agency dpa reported. Three storm-related deaths were reported in England and Scotland on Thursday and Friday.Gale-force winds whipped up storm surges on the southern shores of the Baltic Sea, breaking through flood defenses in coastal areas in Denmark and northern Germany. In Flensburg, a German city just south of the border with Denmark, water levels rose more than 2 meters to the highest level recorded in a century, dpa said. Power was cut to flooded p...

Cyprus police arrest 4 people after a small explosion near the Israeli Embassy

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:30:36 GMT

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Police in Cyprus said Saturday they arrested four people on suspicion of setting off a small explosive device that caused no damage not far from Israeli Embassy in the capital Nicosia. Police said the four, ranging in ages between 17 and 21, face charges of attempted destruction of property using explosives, possession and use of explosives and possession of a knife. Police did not say whether the bombing some 30 meters (98 feet) from the Israeli Embassy was connected to the war in Gaza. Security has been stepped up across the European Union following Hamas’ attack on Israel Oct. 7 and the ensuing hostilities. The suspects will appear before a Nicosia court later Saturday for a hearing to decide the duration of their detention until investigators can formally bring charges against them or they will be released. According to police, two of the suspects were spotted walking near the scene of the explosion, while the other two were sitting inside a car park...

Egypt’s border crossing opens to let a trickle of desperately needed aid into besieged Gaza

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:30:36 GMT

RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — The border crossing between Egypt and Gaza opened on Saturday to let a trickle of desperately needed aid into the besieged Palestinian territory for the first time since Israel sealed it off in the wake of Hamas’ bloody rampage two weeks ago.Gaza’s 2.3 million Palestinians, half of whom have fled their homes, are rationing food and drinking dirty water. Hospitals say they are running low on medical supplies and fuel for emergency generators amid a territory-wide power blackout. Israel is still launching waves of airstrikes across Gaza as Palestinian militants fire rocket barrages into Israel.The opening came after more than a week of high-level diplomacy by various mediators, including visits to the region by U.S. President Joe Biden and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Israel had insisted that nothing would enter Gaza until some 200 people captured by Hamas were freed, and the Palestinian side of the crossing had been shut down by Israel...